Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 5.4 Examples of the variety of the severe craniofacial dysgenesis
observed in fetuses from C57BL/6J dams treated i.p. with 4.9 g/kg methanol on
gestation day 7. Controls are at left, top, and bottom. All other fetuses are from
methanol-treated dams and exhibit holoprosencephaly, facial clefts, agnathia,
and gross facial dysgenesis.
(C-section) deliveries in the methanol exposure groups, in response to
signs of difficulty in the pregnancy.
While pregnancy duration was virtually the same in all exposure
groups, there were some indications of increased pregnancy duress in
methanol-exposed monkeys. C-sections were done in two monkeys
from the 200-ppm group and two from the 600-ppm group due to
vaginal bleeding. A monkey in the 1800 ppm group also received a C-
section after experiencing nonproductive labor for three nights. In
addition, signs of prematurity were observed in one infant from the
1800 ppm group that was born after a 150-day gestation period. Fetal
parameters such as crown-rump length and head circumference were
not different among the groups. Infant growth and tooth eruption were
unaffected by prenatal methanol exposure.
In later life, two females out of the total of nine offspring in the
1800 ppm group exhibited a wasting syndrome at 12 and 17 months of age.
Food intake was normal and no cause of the syndrome could be deter-
mined. Necropsies revealed gastroenteritis and severe malnourishment.
